Mother of two shot to death

Motive sought in West Boca attack at home

West Boca — A man dressed in black shot and killed a 35-year-old mother of two about 10 p.m. Monday in a mobile home park off Sandalfoot Boulevard, neighbors and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.

Detectives were still searching for a motive in the killing of Dawn Ruvolo in her home in the 10500 block of 228th Lane South.

Ruvolo's 9-year-old son Tyler was home at the time but did not see the shooting, said Teri Barbera, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office.

In an interview with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 1999, Ruvolo said she was struggling working a full-time maintenance job while raising two children.

"You want to give them everything," Ruvolo said at the time. "I try to teach them values; I try to teach them that we should be grateful to have a roof over our heads. It may not be the best roof, but it's a roof."

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crime to call Crime Stoppers, 800-458-8477.

Staff Researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

Jerome Burdi can be reached at jjburdi@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6531.